Josh Kelly vs. Jaron Ennis | Unification - Who wins?

[Ruthless-RKO]

'I want it next': Kelly welcomes Ennis unification

After a successful first title defense on the weekend, IBF junior middleweight champion Josh Kelly can now focus on the fight he covets most.

Kelly repeatedly maintained in the build-up a desire to test himself against the division's best: starting with rising pound-for-pound star and WBA, WBO champion Jaron Ennis in a three-belt unification. Having inflicted Agyarko's career-first defeat via unanimous decision in a messy fight, he's ready to make it happen.

"I want it next," Kelly said during his post-fight interview. "People will be smiling looking at that, but [Agyarko is] a tricky night for anyone. Someone rushing in, diving in, heads, elbows, everything... he made it a tough night. I want the big names in the division, already took out one big name in Bakhram Murtazaliev. Let me get the other ones."

Kelly (19-1-1, 9 KOs) began his championship reign after an upset majority decision win over Murtazaliev on January 31. However Ennis, The Ring's No. 9 pound-for-pound boxer, would present a significantly bigger test.

Ennis (36-0, 32 KOs, 1 NC) took another step toward true stardom, stopping then-unbeaten Xander Zayas in seven rounds to take Zayas' IBF and WBA belts last month. The Ring's No. 1 junior middleweight said further unification is his goal, meaning fellow titleholders Kelly and WBC beltholder Sebastian Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs) are priorities.

Kelly, The Ring's No. 6 divisional contender for its vacant title, wants the Philly star to know that he isn't scared of him. But before they can begin negotiations, the 32-year-old Brit wants to rest up and heal from his wounds.

"That was a messy, hard fight," Kelly said. "I knew he was gonna be very tricky, awkward... he had a good game plan. I just had to show a different side of me in the end. That's what a champion does."

[Boxerbeetle]

Hmmmm I wonder.

[gilgamesh]

The question isn't who wins. The question is how does Ennis win?

Wide decision?
Dominant decision?
Stoppage?

Ennis as the winner is the only outcome I see.

[MPW]

The question isn't who wins. The question is how does Ennis win?

Wide decision?
Dominant decision?
Stoppage?

Ennis as the winner is the only outcome I see.

I think how Ennis wins depends upon how Kelly wants to fight.

Does he go toe-to-toe and risk going out on his shield?
Does he hit-and-run and try to steal rounds?
Or does he just run and get a bang-up cardio workout?

If the fight happens, kudos to both boxers. We all seem to think Kelly is going to get wiped out, but I could only applaud him for his self-belief and stepping into the ring with the odds stacked against him.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Eddie Hearn has indicated that a junior middleweight unification between WBA and WBO champ Jaron 'Boots' Ennis and IBF ruler Josh Kelly is in play for the end of the year in the USA

[Taansend]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

Which Russian chap?

[coneye]

Good on Kelly , Kudos for backing himself , if he gets it the fight should make a big boost to his bank account . well hopefully it does , However has much has i think Kellys good , Boots i think is just another level , and his last fight showed , he too can dig deep when required ,

Hope Kelly does;nt sell himself short money wise , If Hearn and Boots wants them belts , LET THEM PULL OUT THE DOLLARS

[Taansend]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

Which Russian chap?

Yuri Gagarin

[Boxerbeetle]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

Boots is a rather different prospect altogether though, surely?

[Taansend]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

Boots is a rather different prospect altogether though, surely?

Absolutely.

However, people do seem very quick to write Kelly off.

[margaret thatcher]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

well ennis isnt the russian chap. kelly also squeaked by him - a majority decision where he got floored. i cant see how one could think he beats ennis with that.

who is your pick?

[Taansend]

The vast majority on here said Kelly was going to get battered by the Russian chap.

well ennis isnt the russian chap. kelly also squeaked by him - a majority decision where he got floored. i cant see how one could think he beats ennis with that.

who is your pick?

I think Ennis on Points. Clearly.

But I like to stir up the flock. Life's boring when everyone blindly follows.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Josh Kelly is the front-runner to face Jaron “Boots” Ennis in a unification bout later this year, sources told The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger.

[keithmoonhangover]

Josh is going to be a live dog in this fight.

[margaret thatcher]

Josh is going to be a live dog in this fight.

'live' as in maybe make it the distance while losing widely, perhaps

but actually beating ennis? i dont see it ....... what is the realistic scenario where he beats him? aside from just being a better fighter in general, i think ennis is all wrong for kelly. kelly likes to have quiet periods to set up his work and take his time....boots has one of the best workk rates in boxing and elite speed and power to go with it, you dont get breaks vs boots.

im not sure kelly would beat xander zayas either.

[keithmoonhangover]

Josh is going to be a live dog in this fight.

'live' as in maybe make it the distance while losing widely, perhaps

but actually beating ennis? i dont see it ....... what is the realistic scenario where he beats him? aside from just being a better fighter in general, i think ennis is all wrong for kelly. kelly likes to have quiet periods to set up his work and take his time....boots has one of the best workk rates in boxing and elite speed and power to go with it, you dont get breaks vs boots.

im not sure kelly would beat xander zayas either.

I'm completely biased, but I think it'll be a competitive fight with Kelly leading at one point.

[Dan Dares]

Kelly isn't busy enough and he's usually in trouble in the championship rounds. Boots wins easily, Kelly will do well to go the distance.

[MPW]

I think Ennis is all wrong for Kelly, who isn't a volume puncher or a one-punch KO fighter and he also likes to take time off during the bout. For whatever reason, Murtazaliev sleep-walked through their fight and still almost won, while Kelly was aggressive against light-hitting Agyarko and clearly bore the signs of a tough battle on his face.

I feel Ennis' work rate will give Kelly nothing but trouble. Ennis won't let him off the hook when Kelly wants to ease back on the throttle for a moment or two. Ennis also punches harder than Agyarko, and he won't be looking for one shot to turn the fight around like Murtazaliev did for much of their bout.

No doubt about it, Kelly is a slick and smooth operator, and I think he will have success early, but he doesn't have the pop on his punches to dissuade Ennis from relentlessly moving forward. It's my belief that that will eventually decide the fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Robert Garcia: Ennis should prioritize Ortiz over Kelly unification

Robert Garcia doesn't want to downplay the importance of becoming an undisputed champion but believes it should take a backseat to one of the sport's best fights.

After a seventh-round stoppage of Xander Zayas on June 27, Jaron “Boots” Ennis is two belts away from becoming the junior middleweight division’s first undisputed champion since Jermell Charlo in May 2022.

The Philadelphia star appears primed for a three-belt unification bout with IBF titleholder Josh Kelly, who is under the same promotional umbrella as him with Matchroom Boxing.

He and promoter Eddie Hearn would like to unify with WBC champion Sebastian Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs) too, though he's slated to face mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj with an October 17 date all but finalized.

However for The Ring's three-time Trainer of the Year, those fights will always be on the table.

Ennis and Ortiz have gone back-and-forth for years over who is better, dating back to their days as welterweight contenders in 2022 and up a weight class at 154 pounds, Garcia believes it's time to finally settle the debate.

"I think Boots, if he really feels comfortable and his team feels they could beat Vergil, why not? We're available, November, let's do it," Garcia said on the Mr. Verzace Podcast.

"If you beat Vergil, then go after the unifications and undisputed. But in the meantime, show the world that you're better than Vergil ... he won't do it. They're going after Kelly who, if they make him fight by November, yeah a doctor will clear him [nose, facial injuries] but it's not the right thing to do."

What Garcia is alluding to is the hard-fought unanimous decision victory Kelly (19-1-1, 9 KOs) earned against Caoimhin Agyarko on July 25 at Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Kelly suffered a suspected broken nose, a cut above his right eye, and another below his left. After undergoing a small procedure, his trainer Adam Booth said the 32-year-old would need eight weeks to heal though wanted a third fight this year, which would mark his most active campaign since 2022.

Memorably, Team Ortiz nearly landed the Ennis fight earlier this year before Zayas lobbied for, and eventually secured his signature in an unsuccessful unified title defense.

Despite Ennis agreeing terms, Ortiz was embroiled in contractual issues with his promoter Oscar De La Hoya before arbitration got involved.

The WBC interim beltholder has since resolved those issues and a November return is planned, a year on from his second-round stoppage win over Erickson Lubin originally setting the table for Ennis.

[Bigdogsnose]

Is boots just ducking ortiz now? Seems he has had the chance twice now and went a different route.

I never really thought the fight would be made, just thought that Ortiz would be the one bailing. Guess we dont know but seems that Ennis wants to move on. Maybe taking too long, wants to stay active.

Cant see a route to victory for Kelly. Fair play but i just think boots stops him. Josh doesnt crack hard enough to even make Boots think.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Josh Kelly are in advanced negotiations for a three-belt junior middleweight unification fight

The bout is reportedly being targeted for the East Coast of the USA in either November or December

[keithmoonhangover]

Is boots just ducking ortiz now? Seems he has had the chance twice now and went a different route.

I never really thought the fight would be made, just thought that Ortiz would be the one bailing. Guess we dont know but seems that Ennis wants to move on. Maybe taking too long, wants to stay active.

Cant see a route to victory for Kelly. Fair play but i just think boots stops him. Josh doesnt crack hard enough to even make Boots think.

Ortiz won't want to take a challenger's share, plus, he's moving to 160.

[NazNaci1]

Kelly isn't busy enough and he's usually in trouble in the championship rounds. Boots wins easily, Kelly will do well to go the distance.

Exactly. Kelly is pretty rapid and can be elusive but that only lasts for about 6 rounds. Then he slows down.

Ennis should win fairly comfortably, imo.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Josh Kelly likely for Jaron Ennis in late 2026, Sebastian Fundora undisputed clash could follow

Eddie Hearn has said it is likely we see a WBA, WBO and IBF junior middleweight unification between Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Josh Kelly in late 2026.

A bout between the two has been an option since Kelly claimed the IBF title with a win over Bakhram Murtazaliev back in January. Part of Kelly’s contract with Matchroom Boxing was an already agreed-upon option to defend his title against Ennis. Ennis would then go on to face WBA and WBO 154lbs champion Xander Zayas in June, stopping the Puerto Rican and claiming both belts. With both men owning versions of junior middleweight titles and under the same promotional umbrella a unification seems an easy next step.

“I think it’s 80 per cent likely that Josh Kelly vs. Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will happen in November or December of this year,” Hearn said.

This follows Hearn revealing last month Ennis’ desire to unify against Kelly and then take on WBC titleholder Sebastian Fundora to become undisputed at 154lbs.

“[Ennis] wants to fight Josh Kelly, then he wants to fight Fundora for undisputed straight off the bat,” Hearn said. “So all he's interested in doing is becoming the undisputed [junior middleweight] champion. Josh Kelly is up for the fight. He obviously had a terrible injury in that fight, which has been... the job they've done on that is unbelievable. Still needs a little bit of time to heal. Adam Booth's telling us he'll be ready November, December. If he is, that's a fight for Philadelphia or maybe Atlanta. A big unification fight. I think that's very likely that we'll see that fight next.”

Fundora spoke to Boxing Scene on Saturday about a potential undisputed battle with Ennis.

“Now that PBC is with DAZN it seems like all these unifications have to be made,” Fundora said. “I hear Kelly and ‘Boots’ are fighting, so maybe I will be the last piece. I’m not sure if [a fight with ‘Boots’] will be this year, it will probably be early next year, but we’re excited for that fight.”

Ennis was in negotiations with junior middleweight rival Vergil Ortiz Jnr prior to his contest against Zayas, but talks broke down due to a legal dispute between Ortiz’s team and his promoter Golden Boy. Hearn says Ennis is now focused on claiming the remaining titles, rather than revisiting a bout with Ortiz.

“Look, there's been a lot of talk about the Vergil Ortiz fight, and that's a fight that ‘Boots’ is happy to take if he can't get another champion,” Hearn said. “But the reality is that all he wants to do is get his hands on another belt, and undisputed, and then probably move to 160lbs.”